Cybersecurity Competition Overview

The Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory (MAGIC) sponsors student programming to enhance workforce development for technology companies, particularly in the cybersecurity industry. MAGIC events are positioned as entry-level beginner events to appeal to the widest possible population of high school and college students.

The Capture the Flag (CTF) events are based on content originally developed by the cybersecurity professionals at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab and further extended and modified by MAGIC volunteers. The content consists of sets of puzzles that require using various hacking tools, coding skills, and just plain puzzle solving to find the answers, which are short strings of code called “flags”. Once located, the flags are entered into a scoreboard, which keeps a tally for all teams. The team with the most points at the end of the timed competition wins.

flag{this_is_a_10_pt_flag}

MAGIC simultaneously holds events in multiple host locations using a cloud-based software platform. Recent events featured participants in host locations around the world~ in Maryland, North Carolina, Idaho, Ecuador, and Estonia, with live streaming on YouTube, Facebook updates, Instagram stories, and live Tweets during the competition. Host locations pay a one-time licensing fee per event and location, depending on number of teams.

Mark Your Calendars:

CTF 007: Saturday, April 13, 2019

CTF 008: Saturday, November 2, 2019

Event Day Schedule:

(all Eastern Time: adjust accordingly for local time and daylight savings)

11:00 AM ET Doors Open for Student Check-In

12:00 PM ET Live Coverage Begins

12:30 PM ET Competition Begins

3:30 PM ET Competition Ends

4:00 PM ET Live Coverage Ends

Host Location Licensing Fee

Host locations pay a one-time licensing fee per event and location, depending on number of teams.

$500 per physical location:

Up to 5 teams (20 students max.)

MAGIC t-shirt provided for each student

Teams appear on MAGIC’s CTF scoreboard

Prizes provided by MAGIC

$1000 per physical location:

Up to 10 teams (40 students max.)

MAGIC t-shirt provided for each student

Teams appear on MAGIC’s CTF scoreboard

Prizes provided by MAGIC

Please register your location through the below link. This link will allow you to pay via online payment or check/money order. Library systems please contact Amy Rupp at arupp@magicinc.org for special pricing terms and sign-up link.